A Fate To Be Tied
by Polkahotness
Summary: EMBRYxJANE. "In a world that is trying to tear us apart, how strong will our ties bind us together?" When the Volturi capture Embry and lock him up at the castle in Volterra, Jane is the one who is forced to 'dogsit.' As time goes on, feelings begin to brew. But when a strange nomad appears with an unusual gift to offer Jane a second chance, will it be Embry who is changed forever?
1. A Run Through, A Low Down & A Throw Down

A long time ago, I was super into the Twilight Saga, in particular the 'Team Jacob' side of things. 

I loved LOVED the wolves. They were my kind of humor, sarcastic and overall some of my favorite characters. I loved them so much, that I decided to do some role plays on twitter. 

After a really cruddy experience rping as Jacob on some tiny rp site, I found The Cullens Online (TCO) and 'auditioned/applied' to be Embry Call, because he was like my third choice as the other wolves were all taken at that moment. I passed the interview thing with flying colors and quickly joined in all the fun things that the site had to offer. While on the site, I met this AMAZING person who has become one of my closest friends and we started a sideline role play as our two characters, and that is how my obsession with Embry & Jane as a pairing began LOL. 

This story is all in Embry's POV. The inspiration for this story is the many times me and my friend have RPed and various story lines we have created. 

A lot of credit goes out to her for some of these plotlines. 

HOWEVER, this whole story has been completely written by me and I want to take some credit for that. This is borrowed, but my own as well. 

I PROMISE not all of my intros to chapters will be like this, but I wanted to give some heads up to the background behind it all seeing as it is a kinda weird pairing to ship, but TRULY makes a lot of sense once you get into it. 

Anyway, SUBSCRIBE, REVIEW, FAVORITE! 

ENJOY! 

* * *

There was once a time in my life that I knew where I was going.

I think it was kindergarten, and I remember that I was very shy and only ever drew one thing- monsters.

It seemed that I was fixated on them growing up.

Every day I would go to school, say goodbye too my Ma, and then spend my whole day drawing any kind of monster I could think of, playing monsters on the playground inside. Monsters. Monsters. MONSTERS. It used to get so bad that the teacher would have to call my Ma and tell her that I wasn't doing anything else except for draw, play and talk about monsters.

So finally one day, Ma sat me down and crouched before me, looking directly in my eyes.

"Embry," she'd say, "What is with the monsters? I got another call from your teacher today."

I would shrug my shoulders and look down at my feet; nervous to explain my obsession.

"A kid your age should want to run and play sports."

I shook my head blurted out, "I just want to be ready to fight the monsters."

Ma smiled and reached out to pinch my chubby little kid cheek and touch the tip of my nose. "You'll have plenty of time to fight the monsters when you're older, Embry."

And boy was she right.

These days, Ma and I didn't have the same kind of talks that we had when I was a kid. Our talks mostly consisted of "Where were you?"s and "Why did you sneak out again last night"s and the ever popular, "Embry, you're grounded!".

Rightfully so, it isn't like I didn't give her a fair share of good reasons to worry.

There was the time I snuck out to see Missy at her mom's house. The time I met up with a group from Port Angeles and smoked a bunch of pot and passed out in the park. Or even the time that I almost burned the house down because I left the oven on and then left to hang out with the boys down at the beach.

But more times than any of that, I was sneaking out and refusing to explain why or where I was going. In fact, up until I turned 19 we had this fight each and every day.

At age 19, Ma gave up on me.

That's exaggerating, I should say Ma quit trying to solve the mystery. Which was a relief to me since my secret wasn't really one I had ever wanted to share with her for fear of how she would take it. Ma's safety from both herself and the physical world was more important than my own happiness or I guess... our relationship. I was all she had. It isn't like she had a boyfriend or a husband to help protect her.

In a lot of ways, I was protecting her from the real me. The shapeshifting side.

She didn't need to know the kinds of things I did. She didn't need to know the kind of danger that exists in the real world. The Quileute legends were all real, but Ma could never know that. Because if I told her about me and the boys that meant I was closer to the truth about who my father was, and that was one subject Ma did NOT like to talk about.

In fact, I could count on four fingers the amount of times she has talked about my dad.

And every single conversation ends like this: "What's really important, Embry," Ma says, "is that no matter what you still have me. Knowing about your father doesn't change anything."

But it does.

Because dear old daddy can only be one of three people

Jake's dad.

Quil's dad.

Sam's dad.

Which is marvelous considering Jake and Quil have been my best friends since BIRTH. And Sam was my first Alpha and still a close brother of the pack.

The SECOND I phased for the first time a few feet from my house those years ago was the MOMENT I started to learn about who I really was.

And I hated it.

The more and more I learned about myself, the more and more I disliked the person I was. But I remained the same for the most part. At least I still had Jake and Quil and the pack.

Imprinting tore that all apart though.

It started the day Quil met little Claire. Sure she was cute like any toddler, but the way that Quil was looking at her seemed a little off. He was staring. His eyes had widened, and just slightly, he started to sway. Jake and I looked at each other confused, and Sam was watching in awe at the look on Quil's face.

It was later that day Sam informed us that that was imprinting, and lucky for Quil, he had found his life mate. His priorities, his feelings, his thoughts and his future was tied to the little girl playing in the sand.

That day was the day my life started to suck.

But it continued.

Imprinting took over everything for Quil. He was still the same old Quil, but everything was about Claire now. His spare time, his choices, they all ended with Claire.

And then Jake imprinted. On a vampire's kid no less.

I had gotten used to vampires since Jake and our pack spent a decent amount of time over in Cullen territory. The treaty has almost been erased since Jake imprinted. As if his imprinting was the bridge between our world and theirs and now SUDDENLY the Cullens and us were less of mortal enemies and more of some weird extension of a family. Like the second third cousins removed twice distant family that you hardly knew and didn't really care for but you still kinda liked them and didn't mind seeing them every once in a while.

Now don't get me wrong- I am incredibly happy for Jake and Quil. I mean, who wouldn't be happy for someone when they meet their soul mate?

I just wish it could happen to me already.

It had been years since Jake imprinted. Since his imprint, almost EVERY DAMN WOLF had imprinted. Even LEAH imprinted which nobody even thought was possible for a girl wolf. The only wolves left who HADN'T imprinted, ended up being me and Seth Clearwater.

And Seth could care less. He was always so damn happy it just drove me insane.

I had already lost my best friends to imprinting, so I started to grow inwards. I spent a lot of time working on cars and other mechanical nonsense. I taught myself guitar and even started helping Ma with cooking which I SUCK at by the way.

However, nothing seemed to distract me enough to get imprinting off of my mind.

I would take days where I would remain phased, roaming the woods and forests and a lot of Canada. Some times, I would find myself in cities and towns I had never heard of. I would go to the most crowded place I could find, and people watch.

Jake told me he did it once when he was still crazy about Bella, and even though it yielded no results for him, I still kept trying. Hopes up, I would spend hours watching people pass me by. And each and every time I went home disappointed.

So now, at age 25, I was a high school dropout with no girlfriend living with their mom who refused to tell him anything about his dad who could be one of his best friend's dad's. And hey- I had this uncanny talent of turning into a wolf.

Life for me wasn't turning out quite the way I had dreamed. The fabulous life of fighting the monsters had lost its allure, and now I was just a sad adult trying to figure out where I screwed up.

I wondered all these things as I sauntered in the forest, taking my time with my morning patrol.

 _Quite the life story you have going, huh Bry?_

I heard Jake's voice echo in my head and I quickly regretted some of my previous thought choices.

 _Yeah, it's just going swimmingly. How much did you hear?_

 _Just from my imprinting and on._

Great.

 _Sorry._ I was embarrassed. But I should know better than to let something like Jake get to me. I could have guessed his response.

 _Don't be sorry, Bry. I know you've been having a rough time lately. With the imprinting thing._

 _Thanks for your sympathy but I don't need it. I do well with my own self-pitying._

 _Embry, do you remember when I was still in love with Bella?_

I huffed out a breath and quickened my pace slightly.

 _Yeah, of course._ His usual pep talk schpeel was starting.

 _Just because I didn't think I would ever imprint, didn't mean I wasn't going to. Your imprint is out there, Embry. You can't give up so easily._

I shook my head, despite the fact that nobody could see me.

 _Its almost been five years, Jake. I have seen thousands upon thousands of women. And nothing._

 _Imprints are weird sometimes. Your circumstance behind your imprint may be different than ours. I mean, look at Ness and I._

 _I have. That's the problem._

 _I'm sorry it's been hard, Embry. But you have to-_

We were quickly cut off by a loud SLAM! as a tree fell in front of me and I jumped back a few steps. My patrol was almost over, and the fact that this damn tree had to fall right now and block my shortcut home was not making me very happy.

 _Embry- you okay, man?_

Jake's thoughts were worried, but I wasn't able to answer him as I was distracted by the two figures that stood directly in front of me now that I had turned around.

They both had hoods up, but some of their features poked through the shadows their cloaks cast.

While both of them were the same height, each figure was quite different from the other. The one on the left had short, brown hair. His nose was perfectly angular, and his skin extremely pale. The glow of his red eyes bursting through the darkness hiding the rest of his face. While he stood beside the other cloaked person, he stood tall with his shoulders back. A proud stance hiding a frightful being with more bad intentions than good.

The figure on the right was softer, but all the more threatening.

At the same height, this figure was clearly a girl. You could tell she wasn't very old as she couldn't look any older than, at best, an underdeveloped sixteen year old. A braid of blonde shiny hair lay limp on her right shoulder, and her hands were clasped in front of her as she stood calm and controlled. Her skin was just as pale as her brothers, but in the light seemed to glitter like diamonds in a ring. Hiding in the shadow of her own hood, the same piercing red eyes looked back at me; as if they were the same set of eyes the first figure had.

So to summarize: it was scary as fuck.

I stood silent and frozen before them, a dark mist surrounding me as everything faded away. My sight, my sense of smell, the way the world felt on my skin slowly disappeared. The last thing to go was Jake's voice ringing in my head again and again; _Embry?! Embry!_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading my fic this far! Hopefull you are intrigued and wish to continue :)**

 **Make sure you FAVORITE, SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW!**

 **XOXO**

 **POLKAHOTNESS**


	2. If Looks Could Kill

The world was nothing to me.

It was as if I was floating a world of black, the open empty space suspending me in the air as if I had ceased to exist.

I must have been screaming. I must have gone crazy, but as my sensations were numb to the world around me, I couldn't help but wonder if this is what it felt to die.

All at once, I could see again. I could smell. I could taste the dryness of my tongue in my mouth. I could hear my own screams as I looked around at my new surroundings: a dingy cell. Above me, much taller up than I could reach, was a small window about the size of a sack of flour.

The ceilings were high, everything around me made of a sort of stone I hadn't felt or seen before. Ahead of me, the rusted black bars kept me from the two figures I had just seen what felt like only moments ago.

But this time, their hoods were down revealing the rest of their facial features. It was at these new details of the mysterious figures from the field that I realized they weren't so mysterious after all- I had been kidnapped by the Volturi.

"Wh-what am I doing here? Am... Am I in Italy?"

The boy, who I now recognized as that twin from the guard had a thin smile painted on his face as he made a clicking sound with his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Looks as though we have a clever wolf on our hands, doesn't it sister?"

The small girl to his left remained alarmingly still, her face a stone-like blank stare in my general direction; her red eyes meeting mine for a split second before averting away.

"Indeed, brother. Master Aro will be pleased to see he is smarter than we had previously anticipated."

"Your fancy words don't intimidate me!" I yelled at them, my blood boiling in rage.

"No need to fret, wolf." the boy addressed me now as if I had said nothing at all; his words frighteningly cool and collected making all of the hairs on my body stand on end. "You will be under the care of my dear sister, Jane." he slowly gestured his hand to the girl who nodded once very slightly at the mention of her name.

I approached the bars, pressing my face against the cold iron, and glared at the two seemingly young children before me.

"Just you wait..." a sly smile now growing on my face, "I'll phase and be out of here in no time." I started to huff, pumping the adrenaline in my body. Jane and her brother slowly turned to exchange a look before Jane quickly appeared crouched in front of me, her face dangerously close to mine. Her eyes searched mine before locking on them completely and smiled devilishly.

A shot of pain like none I had ever felt shot through my body. Every bone ached as if they were all being crushed at once. My blood felt so hot that it could burn through my skin. My heart pounded as if were trying to escape it's own cell inside my body. Just as my eyes began to roll into the back of my head and I writhed in pain on the floor, the pain ceased.

"Get up." her voice was firm, but still soft and controlled. I opened my eyes to see that she was still poised in a crouched position in front of the bars. I grunted and pushed myself up to kneel, now feeling dizzy from the head rush, and pressed my face against the now soothing cold iron bars.

Gracefully, Jane reached out and brushed her smooth, ice-cold fingers along my jawbone and tilted her head somewhat to the side with her eyes still locked on mine. "Mustn't phase now, my pet..." her voice was gentle- almost angelic and it felt as though I was being cradled by her words. Then in one swift movement, her fingers were squeezing my face in her hand, now holding my head firmly in place to look directly in her eyes. Her voice came out louder and stronger than before; every part of my body growing rigid in intimidation like I had never experienced before. "Wouldn't want to hurt your mother's only son, now would we?"

I wanted to scream out at her. I wanted to kill her right then and there for bringing my Ma into this. I wanted to show her I wasn't some pawn she can control.

But I felt under a spell of sorts and remained still in her grip while I nodded.

"Good dog." She grinned and patted my cheek lightly with her hand once more, then standing up to turn to her brother. "Come Alec, the masters are awaiting us." Once more, she turned around to just briefly meet my gaze and then pivoted to turn and easily catch up with her brother's quick pace.

* * *

So I get the whole "vampires don't eat real people food" but you would think it would kill them to get me some grub.

It had been two days- two days of watching nothing but the sun's rays and shadows painting various shades of grays and blacks on the cell walls. But more importantly- two days of NO FOOD.

I was losing my mind.

"Helloooooooo?" I called out from behind the bars that held me from food somewhere that I could be eating. "I know SOMEBODY can hear me!"

I kicked the stone bed/bench with my right foot, and dropped to sitting on my feet on the floor.

"This is bullshit." I muttered.

"What was that?" a familiar calm voice came from the end of the hallway, her feet clicking against the ground with each step.

"Please PLEASE tell me you have food?" I yelled back.

"Unfortunately, no, not exactly."

I groaned and moved to lay on my back with my arms covering my face.

"You have GOT to be kidding me." I said into my warm flesh as Jane's footsteps stopped. Peeking through the crack between my elbows, I could see that Jane was standing in front of the bars, her hands clasped in front of her. She wasn't wearing her cloak, and I could see just how thin and small she really was. Funny how something so small and youthful looking could be so lethal.

"There are tests to be done before you can eat. Masters orders."

"What's with the master thing? You know it makes you sound like you're slaves, right?"

Jane wrinkled her nose and shrugged her shoulders.

"It is a sign of respect towards those who are of higher importance than me."

"Do you realize how dumb that sounds?" I asked, now sitting up and holding myself up with my hands behind me.

"Enough." Her hand was out now in a stop sign of sorts and her eyes were shut. "We simply do NOT have time to doddle." She opened her hand to reveal a lone skeleton key and unlock the door to let me out. I looked at her with a raised brow.

"Really? Just like that you're going to let me out with no restraints?"

A flicker of amusement danced over her face and we began to walk down the hallway; me following her at a couple of feet distance.

"Why would I restrain you?" She answered calmly. "Do you feel that you need to be restrained?"

I shrugged even though she couldn't see me and put my hands in my pockets as we walked.

"Well, I guess not but what if I tried to like, run off or something? Then what?"

Jane stopped in her tracks spinning around to cut me off from taking any more steps and I stumbled slightly at her sudden halt.

"Then what?" She repeated, "Then I would turn around like this and grab your neck like this," her hand reached up to hold my throat in her tight grip "and push you down like this." in one movement she threw me to the ground, my back sliding across the stone ground and ripping up the skin like a rug burn. Jane took steps towards me as I lay on the ground in pain and looking up at her; now regretting the question I posed. Jane watched me intently as she took steps towards me until she was standing just ahead of my feet. "Then with one look I would make you feel such an intense pain that you have never experienced before until you pass out. I would then drag you down and back into your cell and throw you in, only to lock you up once more."

I stayed silent on the floor looking up at her, our eyes glued to the others. It was Jane who broke the look to turn around and continue walking. "And you would most certainly lose food privileges. But this is all hypothetical, is it not?"

I stumbled to my feet and took a few large strides to catch up to her. "Y-yeah. Hypothetical."

"Now, we will be meeting up with my brother momentarily to begin some physical testing. It is important that you do everything to the absolute best of your ability. I don't have to explain what will happen if you don't, do I?"

I rubbed my neck lightly and cleared my throat. "N-no. I think I got it."

"Excellent." She replied as we entered a small room with a thick wooden door wide open. The room had a lot of workout gym equipment and beeps filled the small space around them. There were machines with computer screens with wires sticking out from them that lay ready with sticky tape to them. I looked at Jane and then back at the equipment around us.  
"What exactly are these tests?"

"That is classified information."

"Seriously. You really can't tell me?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"So I'm just supposed to do all this shit for you guys and not even know what it is I am doing it for?"

Jane stopped to think about this for a moment while walking over to the wires, picking each one up thoughtfully.

"My Masters have become... interested in your kind. Since you are not of the werewolf race, your abilities are virtually unknown. Master Aro has put me in charge of conducting tests on one of you so rest assured you will be going home in due time once the tests are completed."

"You don't seem to want to do it." Her shoulders rose in a prolonged shrug.

"It was decided that Caius, though he expressed sincere interest, would not be best suited for the job due to his bias. I was the next one to volunteer."

"Well what's Caius' deal?" I asked, watching as Jane peeled paper off of the suction cup things attached to the wires and she gestured for me to step closer.

"Thousands of years ago Caius was involved in a fight with a werewolf that almost cost him his life. We didn't feel that Caius would be able to control his hate for werewolves enough to properly take care of you while you were here-"

"Properly take care of me? I haven't even been fed yet. I think I would rather take my chances." I groaned and crossed my arms.

"You are quite lucky to be with me over him I can assure you. By now I doubt very much that you would even be walking from the other torturous tasks I'm sure he would have put you through by now. My mother used to tell me to 'count your blessings when you wish to complain about your good fortune' and I advise you might do the same." After a moment she sighed. "Caius is very ruthless. He does not pity. He only does as he wishes."

I took a step closer to her now, and she reached up to press the wire's suction cup to my chest; her eyes boring into mine. "As long as you follow the rules, I promise you are safe with me."

I narrowed my eyes, not daring to break the gaze.

"What's with the sudden mood change?"

She pressed another suction cup to a spot on my ribs.

"I suppose I am simply in a good mood today."

"You get those?" I asked with a slight smirk. She watched me for a moment as if to decide if my joke was funny or not. With a smile, she took my hand and attached a band around my wrist.

"All beings, soulless or not, are entitled to their own happiness."

"Its just kinda weird considering the other day you used that weird eye ninja shit on me and seemed to enjoy it pretty greatly."

She raised a brow and continued with the final wire, sticking the suction cup on my neck.

"Please step up onto the treadmill."

"I asked a question..." I grumbled

"You were being difficult. Sometimes when guests are difficult, I need to...redirect them."

"Guests." I scoffed and took a step onto the treadmill, looking at all the buttons and blinking lights. "Sounds a lot better than kidnapees I guess."

"I will need you to run as fast as you can. The machines will monitor your breathing, your heart rate and other vitals. Then tomorrow, we will do this in your wolf form."

"You really think you will fit all of me in my wolfy goodness in here?" I chuckled at the idea; Jane's eyes watching my reaction to such a thing.

"Well, if you're good perhaps we can do the monitoring from outside..." Her voice was hinting at something, but I wasn't sure what.

"That... that would be awesome actually." I smiled but was quickly cut off.

"Providing you remember our previous conversation from this morning."

I thought back to the sheer terror she brought by simply throwing me to the floor and I nodded my head.

"I remember."

"Good. Now, I will start the treadmill at a decent jogging pace and from there we will keep pushing the speed. Understood?"

My hands brushed on the handles of the treadmill and I nodded again.

"Here we go..."

The belt began to move under me and I appropriately shuffled my feet with it as I began to jog.

"This is nothing, blondie." I teased, and Jane hit a button a few times to make the treadmill go faster until I was full on sprinting.

"I-I take it back..." I managed out and Jane reached for a clipboard to begin scribbling things down.

"Please focus on the running." She calmly said, her eyes not moving from the papers on her clipboard.

I must have ran for a solid hour.

The whole time, I found my mind wandering as I focused on moving one foot in front of the other in time with the treadmill.

If this had happened to either Quil or Jake, they would be going about this all differently. Jake would fight, become angry and try to escape every chance he got. Quil would get that weird sassy angry he gets and use his wit to get some kind of message back to the rest of the pack.

But here I was, doing almost nothing. I hadn't even TRIED to escape yet... I just mentioned it.

But Jane's power was good motivation to cooperate. None of the other wolves had yet to encounter her 'gift' so they didn't realize the kind of pain I was looking at for an escape attempt.

On the other hand, maybe I am trying to make some kind of excuse for myself. Life in the pack wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Maybe being here was a better alternative, a vacation if you will, from the monotony of the life I had at home. What left was there for me anyway?

The belt on the treadmill slowed to a stop, and I shut my eyes, breathing heavily to try and relax from the nonstop running.

"I must say, you are quite impressive. Your capabilities have exceeded my expectations."

"Th-thanks?"

Jane began pulling off the wires one by one that were attached to me and nodded her head towards the door. "I think you have earned some food."

A smile lit up my face and I followed her back to my cell. Once she closed the door and left to get me my food, I collapsed to the floor; exhausted.

My mind began to wander again.

If she let me phase tomorrow, maybe JUST MAYBE I could get a message back to the pack. It wasn't completely unheard of for us to communicate back and forth via thoughts from extreme distances, although, Italy was a pretty extreme distance and highly unlikely to work.

I couldn't use the opportunity to run. That was exactly what she probably wanted. Another excuse to look at me and hurt me all over again. But if I could gain her trust...

No, I thought, that's silly. Next to her 'masters' Jane was the one the Cullens had warned us about when we were practicing fighting before their visit those few years ago in the field.

"That's right!" I exclaimed a loud, not realizing Jane was in earshot of me carrying a large plate of food.

"What's right, may I ask?" Her footsteps were getting closer and I could smell the food she was carrying.

"Steak? Really? And... and eggs?" My mouth began to water.

"Fascinating. Your smell works almost as well as mine even in your human form."

I shrugged, inching closer to the bars at the promise of food.

"You have food. Good food."

She passed the plate under the bars and sat nearby on a bench.

"You performed well today. And your kind consumes more than an average human, yes?"

Already devouring the food, I nodded my head and replied through a full mouth, "Yeah, a lot more actually."

We sat quietly for a moment; the only sound being my mouth scarfing down the food she had brought to me. It was Jane who broke the silence.

"Is it difficult to be away from the pack?" She asked, curious.

I licked my fingers for a moment.

"Not exactly." Maybe this was my moment to gain her trust. I elaborated. "They're all pretty occupied with their own lives. I only really seem them these days when we have patrols or something."

"You were alone when we found you." She stated, and I shook my head.

"Nah. Jake was inside my head."

Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Excuse me?" Her words weren't mean, only confused by what I had just said. I elaborated.

"We have this thing where we can hear each other's thoughts when we are in wolf-"

"Yes, yes I understood that part." Her words had a hint of fear in them and I stopped eating momentarily to watch her expression. "Jake as in...Jacob? Jacob Black?"

I nodded my head, "Yeah, why?"

Her hand slid under and grabbed the plate from my own hands.

"Hey!"

"I would say you are done eating." She stood up from her previously seated position and stared at me. "He will be after you. This was supposed to be a secret mission."

"Not really a secret when they would have noticed me missing either way. Can I have the food b-"

"That is why we chose you." She was muttering her words to herself now, "You would be the least missed... Alec assured me he watched for... for weeks." She was pacing now and I stood up, angrily.

"You know I am right here? I can hear everything you are saying..."

"AS IF THAT MATTERS." Her voice was a notch below screaming at me, and I found myself instinctively taking a few steps backward from her. "He will be after you and it could cause the DESTRUCTION of your kind. Do you understand?"

"But... you can't do that!"

"I certainly can do whatever I wish." Her voice had returned to it's natural calm state, but I was enraged.

"You can't DO THAT! They have families and lives and imprints and you just... you can't do that!" My hands were wringing the metal bars now, and Jane watched in amazement at my sudden shift in mood.

"Can't do what, Sister?" Alec was approaching us now and I sighed exasperated and sat on the bench/bed.  
"The alpha was in his thoughts when we captured this wolf."

"I have a name." I spit back, though I was ignored.

"You don't suppose he will be after this wolf?"

"It's EMBRY." I repeated, but was ignored again.

"According to your research brother, this wolf is one of his closest acquaintances. There is no doubt in my mind he would be looking for him. Who's to say he wouldn't go to the Cullens and ask for help? He certainly has connections there now..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes wandering to mine and then back to her brother's.

"This IS the only wolf that has not imprinted, correct?"

"There is the other one, but Felix should be back shortly with him."

"Ahh, that is right."

My eyes were rapidly moving between Jane and Alec, my vision becoming blurred as I did so.

"SETH? Leave him out of this, whatever this is!"

Alec turned to face me. "How can we get an accurate reading of your physical skills with only one of you? There is information to compare. Averages to be done. I doubt you would understand."

"He is rather intelligent, Alec." Jane countered, and I found myself scrunching my face up in confusion at Jane's standing up for me.

"If the alpha does show however, we may be able to do the necessary tests on him instead of the other one who has imprinted."

"We shouldn't risk the chance of the Cullens discovering what we have done. They will protect them." Jane said firmly.

They were teasing me. They wanted me to react. Why else would they be disclosing all of their information to me? I decided not to give in. Breathing steadily, I calmed my nerves and quietly watched them as they continued.

"No matter. We will just continue on as planned. The imprint tests will stand to show their true weaknesses in physicality. It certainly will be..." his eyes met mine briefly, "interesting."

In one turn, he was gone leaving just me with Jane again.

"Imprint tests." I repeated. "What the hell are those?"

Jane shook her head. "It is of no importance."

"I'm not STUPID." As much as I tried to control myself, I couldn't help but become angry at the thought of an imprint being hurt.

"These bonds. Your 'imprinting' is very curious. An oddity. While we have our mates, your mates have a bond stronger than any one of ours. Master Aro wants to test his theory."

"And that theory is..."

"I cannot tell you."

"Is it like those other things that you say that NOW but you end up telling me anyway beca-"

"It is in your best interest that I don't tell you."

She looked at me and in her look I could tell exactly why she didn't wish to tell me.

"You... you're going to kill them, aren't you."

Jane remained still, "No."

"You're lying." My voice was gradually getting louder, "Right in front of them you are going to try and kill them, aren't you? Jane!?"

She crouched down to me again and searched my eyes.  
"Aro wishes to test how willing your kind is to fight for their imprint. If it heralds any weaknesses or hidden strengths."

"They'll DIE, Jane. The wolf will DIE if you kill their imprints, do you not understand that? You can't just DO that! You'll kill them!" I was shouting at her now, though she never moved in reaction to my loud words in her face.

"I have orders."

"You have a heart, don't you?"

Silence.

"It doesn't work, Embry. I'm sure you know that."

"Than a... hypothetical heart. Sympathy. A conscience."

She stood up and brushed off her skirt.

"My line of work doesn't allow me to have such foolish weaknesses for the human condition."

It was my turn to stand up, gripping the bars and pressing my face as far passed them as I could manage.

"Jane, listen to me. You can't do that. It will be a murder like you have never seen it's like... a torture you can't imagine. Please... you have to be able to do something." I wasn't yelling anymore, I was pleading. Surely she had to see some kind of desperation in me.

"And you haven't imprinted?" She suddenly asked, even though I was pretty sure her and her brother were well aware of the answer.

"You know I haven't. You know I am a nothing to the pack apparently. You know I have a single mom at home with nothing but me and that I spend a lot of time alone these days. You know my favorite food is steak and you know I am one of the more willing people to participate in your little tests because I don't have much of anything to go back to. But what you DON'T know is even though I don't have an imprint, even though I only know what it feels like to have one through my brother's thoughts, I will fight to the death to protect them and their imprints. It is the only THE ONLY law that matters in our world." I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment before continuing.

"I will do whatever you wish. I will stay here for the rest of my dumb stupid life if you PROMISE to follow that law as well. If you can assure me no imprints or their imprinters will be harmed."

Jane searched my expression, her eyes combing over every inch of my now rigid body and she blinked once.

"Your offer will be considered." was all she said before turning around to leave the dungeon I was in.

"Jane..." I called out after her, though she never reacted. "Jane!" I called out louder until she was completely out of sight. "JANE!" I screamed only to hear my echo as a response.

I was alone again.

But who knew for how long.

* * *

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	3. Voices In My Head

"Your friend is here." Jane said flatly as she brought food to my cell the next day. "Seth, is his name?"

I looked down at the food she brought me and set it aside, untouched.

"Good luck with him." I replied.

"Is there a problem with him?"

I shook my head and moved to try and look out the small window at the now beginning sunset.

"What happened to the test we were going to do? Outside?"

Jane shrugged and sat on the bench passed my cell.

"I suppose it isn't too late to do that test today."

I turned my head to look at Jane who was still watching me.

"I mentioned your request to my masters. The request about the imprint testing." She said out of the blue, my attention now focusing on her.

"And?" I asked expectantly.

"Aro Denied it." Her eyes darted to her hands in what I thought was disappointment but certainly couldn't be.

"Oh." was all I could manage, my mind racing at what to do next.

"But Marcus..." Jane continued, "He disagreed with Aro's decision." Her eyes met mine again.

"Oh?" I said again with curiosity laced in the word.

"He said it was wrong, even for our kind, to tamper with a bond as strong as an imprint. He argued that it was an unnecessary first shot in what would lead to a war unlike that which we have ever seen. After much discussion, I believe Master Marcus has talked Aro out of his experiment ideas. At least for now." A small smile was hinting on her lips and I nodded my head, picking up the plate.

"Th-thank you." I said sincerely.

I looked down at the plate of food in my hands and began to eat.

"I did some research last night. About... bonds between animals." Jane started again, randomly. I glanced up at her.

"Yeah? And?"

"There is nothing like the imprinting your kind goes through. At least according to what you have said about what the other wolves in your pack feel."

I nodded my head, swallowing the large bite of baked potato. "It's... something else."

"Would you... would you mind telling me more about it?"

"About imprinting?" I questioned, "Why, for your research or something?" My voice came out skeptical and Jane shook her head quickly as if to try and erase the words after they had come out so she could start again.

"No, no. I simply, I want to know what it..." She took a deep breath trying to reorganize her thoughts. "You say you can feel exactly how another wolf feels through their thoughts?" it came out more of a question than I think she had hoped, but she settled on that and waited for my answer.

"Uh..." I set my plate down again, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "I mean, as close as you can get to feeling it exactly, I guess."

"Fascinating." She responded, leaning back to straighten her posture and look out into nowhere. "What is that like?" she wondered.

I shrugged and followed her gaze to the wall, wondering what exactly she could be thinking. I had never seen her so at bay and...normal-like.

"Sometimes it sucks." I said carelessly. Jane's eyes broke from her gaze and shot to me almost with hurt. "Seriously. To see someone care for another so much and love them with every part of themselves makes you feel... jealous. And resentful. 'Why can't I have that? Why couldn't these be my feelings?' those thoughts cloud your head and soon you can't even be happy for them anymore. But you can't get enough of their thoughts. It's like... a drug or being hypnotized or something. It's hard to explain."

Jane was nodding her head, expecting me to continue.

I cleared my throat and did exactly that.

"When someone imprints..." I started, "the very sun that warms you when you are freezing ceases to exist. The warmth you feel now only comes from this other person. The world cuts its strings from you and ties them to this one person. You would kill for them. You would die for them in not even a blink of an eye. You would give everything you have just to keep the smile on their face and if anything were to happen to them- you would follow them into the dark itself. To lose an imprint would... would rip you apart from the inside out."

I could tell my own eyes were now growing clouded in staring into space for so long, but the words coming out of my mouth were no longer mine, but borrowed words and feelings I had stored away in my time as a wolf. Before I knew it, I was baring my soul to my own mortal enemy. And as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop myself from exposing everything I really was.

"To experience that kind of bond with another person, but know none of it is your own and it's all being experienced by someone else is like... it's like a free ticket to a kind of drug nobody but us wolves have ever been able to try... a drug that scientists and thugs all around the world have never been able to replicate and market... The truest and most pure love anyone could ever know. Every day I get high off of the memories and direct love imprinters feel for their imprints. And every night I crash when I remember I don't have that; I only have artificial feelings stolen from my brothers..." I trailed off, my thoughts drifting away from my body as I remained still and feeling numb.

It was the cool temperature from Jane's hand on my head that brought me back into reality. I shook my head and looked over to her as she looked at me with pity and a somber look on her face.

"That sounds like a pain I have never experienced, nor could ever replicate."

"It doesn't matter."

"Why did you tell me all of that?" Jane asked suddenly, "Or rather, why would you?"

I slid my empty plate under the bars and swallowed my final bite of food.

"I guess because you would find out regardless of what I say or do. You guys are ruthless."

"No," Jane stepped over my words with hers, "I meant... why would you so easily give me your feelings when I have done nothing to prove to you I can be trusted with them?"

"Maybe," I stopped to give her question more genuine thought before continuing, "Maybe because I've never told anyone before how I feel about the imprinting thing. I've never thought about it in front of my brothers. I always get some dumb pep talk about how it will happen one day and to never lose hope or whatever. With you, I can tell you how I feel and you won't try and assure me it will happen when I doubt it will."

"Well, I can assure you it won't be happening here. Here in your cell, you are miles away from the nearest human woman."

I smirked.

"Thank you?" I asked more than thanked; Jane frowning.

"I did not mean for that to come across as rude, or, how do you say- in your face."

"I know." I nodded my head with a somber smile and pushed myself up to stand.

Jane reached over to use her skeleton key on the door of my cell, unlocking it so I could leave and follow her outside. "It's time to walk the dog." Jane stated, and with an eye roll, I followed her out towards the sunset.

* * *

"When I was a kid, ma always used to take me to first beach to watch the sunset." I smiled, remembering being so young and naive. "It was convenient because ma works at this little shop nearby, so I would hang out at the store after school, and just before we would leave for home, if I begged enough, ma would walk out to the shoreline with me and we would watch the sun set over the water. Nothing ever seemed as beautiful after seeing that." I looked out to the sky and smiled thoughtfully; Jane watching as I did so.

"I wish I had memories like that with my mother." She said simply, her eyes now focusing out to the sky.

"You don't remember her at all?" I asked.

"In flashes. Bits and parts of memories, really. The way she smelled. The song she sang to us at night. Folding clothes and hanging them on the clothes line. It's almost like a movie that plays in my head with segments spliced together. No stories or plot lines, only pictures that flash by quickly and then disappear."

I looked over to her for a moment, her skin an orange tint of sparkles from the sun.

"Does it bother you?"

Her focus remained a head of her.

"Not anymore. When I first turned, it bothered me a lot. I would cry to Alec at night and we would comfort each other the way only siblings could. In the end, however, time painted over the memories with new ones and after a thousand years or so the pain that came with the mention of my parents- my mother in particular- ceased to exist. That doesn't mean I don't think of her now again though."

She continued to watch the sun for a moment, deep in thought it seemed, before turning to me. "Are you ready?"

I shrugged. "I guess. I'm not really sure what I'm doing just yet."

"You will run as fast as you can from here to the edge of the treeline." She pointed ahead in the direction of where that must be and I nodded my head to assure her that I understood.

"I will time you to see how fast it takes for you to complete this task. I will also track your heart rate."

"You can hear it that far away?"

"Of course."

"How far away CAN you hear?" I questioned and she shook her head.

"We are testing you, Embry. Not me. Are you ready to phase?"

"I guess so."

As I began to undress, Jane scrunched her eyebrows together. "Would you like me to turn around?"

I smirked, "If you feel you need to. But to be honest, I'm pretty used to having no privacy. Wolf thing."

"Yes, of course. I will turn around anyways." Once she was facing the other direction, I chuckled and phased in an instant; Jane turning around after she heard my feet land.

Eyeing me now that I was in wolf form, she nodded her head once. "Ready, Embry?"

 _As much as I'll ever be,_ I thought and took off in a moment; sprinting as fast as I could.

 _This was it. This was my time to run,_ I thought to myself, the air feeling cool as it ran through my fur.

 _I can't. I won't. If she catches me, she'll definitely hurt me again._ I weaved through a treeline as I ran; my feet barely touching the soft ground I was running so fast. Up ahead the treeline approached, and I prepared myself to turn around and return.

 _I just can't leave,_ I decided and turned myself around to sprint my way back to where Jane was awaiting me, _especially not with Seth here. He wouldn't be able to take it._

 _And just what makes you think I wouldn't be able to handle it?_ Seth's voice bounced around in my head and I almost stopped dead in my tracks at the sound of it.

 _Seth?_

 _You better believe it!_

 _You-you..._ my mind was scrambling itself and I could see Jane was up ahead watching me run to her.

 _Why didn't you run?_

 _I couldn't Seth._

 _You could._

 _No Seth, I couldn't._

 _Yes Embry, you could've._

 _I COULDN'T, now would you shut up so I can focus?_

Seth was silent as I walked up to Jane who nodded her head.

"How impressive. Your kind is much faster than werewolves."

 _You hear that, Embry? She basically just said we were better than werewolves._

 _SHUT. UP._

"I suppose you are wondering what our next test will be." She was looking up at me and I nodded my head once so she could continue. "Tomorrow, I will monitor both you and the new wolf's brain waves. Somehow we will have to fit you and the other wolf in one room..." She was now more talking to herself than me, trying to figure out where to put us both.

 _Does she not realize I have a name?_

 _Seriously, Seth. I won't say it again._

 _Sorry... shutting up._

"Ah! The main level of the castle has an office Master Caius used to use which should be large enough to accommodate both of your sizes at once."

 _This is perfect, Embry!_ Of course Seth was talking again. _The main level will be right by the exit. Together we can EASILY overpower her and make our escape!_

 _Seth, I don't think escaping is the best idea..._

 _Why not? You would rather stay here until they kill us?!_

Briefly my mind fluttered over the thought of staying and Seth lost it.

 _Embry, you can't STAY here! You can't actually be considering that!_

 _Of course I'm not you dip, now listen to me. We can't just go and overpower her 1-2-3. It won't be that easy. Jane isn't foolish enough to let us both be alone with her at once. That's a suicide mission._

 _It is not._ Seth countered; Jane walking passed me and closer to the treeline I had just come from. _It seems like she trusts you quite a bit._

 _That's only because I haven't made IMPULSIVE decisions and tried to escape like you are so ready to go do._

 _You won't even try for it?_ Seth was getting disappointed now and I couldn't help but sigh.

 _You'll get hurt, Seth. She has the power to hurt you with just a look. It isn't just like a broken bone or a cut on your arm. The pain is... it's unlike anything you have ever felt..._

 _I see that._ He was feeling the pain as best as he could through my thoughts and that seemed to cut off his idea of attacking and ditching, which gave me a sense of relief.

But why?

 _We fight if she's alone._

 _What did I just say, Seth?_

 _She can't split her eyes and look at us both, now can she?_

 _I don't know what she can or can't do._

"Do you wish to phase back?" Jane asked, and I nodded my head.

 _NO! Wait Embry!_

 _I can't. I gotta go. And I don't have enough room to phase in my cell. I'll see you tomorrow, Seth._

 _Just listen to me!_

Jane gestured behind her to my pants lying on the ground. "I'm not looking." she told me.

 _What Seth?_

 _Even you have to admit two of us have a better chance than one to take her on. Just think about it? We can do it! It's totally a thing we can do!_

 _Fine, I'll think about it okay? But I think it's risky and I don't think we should do it. We... we can figure something else out._

And without saying another word to him, I phased and pulled up my shorts in one swift movement.

"Sometimes, I wished I had run away." Jane said casually, still looking out to the treeline.

"Why?"

She waited a moment before answering, her eyes now softly shut.

"I wasn't always this way, Embry. I was a child once." Her eyes opened again, focusing them out far passed the trees. "No child wishes to harm others mercilessly."

Intrigued, I took a few steps in her direction then stopping once I got just beside her.

"So how did you get okay with it?"

"You do what you need to to survive. For me, that included killing others without another thought in the world. You would think it would be easy given my condition." Her arms gestured down towards herself.

"Not necessarily." I added. "I mean... look at the Cullens. They don't want to hurt anybody, so they don't."

"True. However, I was not blessed to be at the hands of the Cullens or a coven like theirs. Not to say I haven't been blessed." She shook her head as if to cut off her thoughts and she turned to me.

"Please don't run tomorrow." She said suddenly, my body suddenly feeling tense at her request. "After tonight, I don't believe you will, but if the thought crosses your mind, please do not follow it. You and this Seth... you will both be in wolf form. I do not want any fatalities, myself included. And rest assured, there would be in such a situation."

I nodded my head and swallowed hard.

"I uh..." I started, reconsidered, and continued. "I won't."

"Thank you. I believe it is time to return." I followed her as we reentered the castle and made our way back to my cell. I traced Seth's scent to the dungeon just before mine, and worried about what tomorrow would bring.

When Jane shut the door on me for the night, I knew I didn't want to hurt her, but couldn't understand 'why.'

Why she had been so nice to me? Why hasn't she kept a closer leash on me? Why would she share such personal things and information with me? Why wasn't she acting like the ruthless and incredibly evil Volturi guard member that everyone had warned me about?

But the most important and confusing why was the last one that entered my head right as I was on the cusp of falling asleep.

Why has she chosen me to be someone she can trust?

It was the answers to that question that kept me up until the shadows of night transformed to shimmers of sunlight dancing across my wall once again; Jane's footsteps bringing with her the sensation of a pit in my stomach so big, it could burst through my body.

* * *

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	4. The Not-So-Great Escape

I shot straight up at the sound of Jane's footsteps approaching me.

"Are you okay?" She asked from where she stood, just a few feet away from me now.

"Y-yeah. Yeah I'm fine."

"The tests are ready to be run. Once we are finished, you both will be fed and brought back here."

I looked at my hands, preoccupied with the dirt under my nails instead of what was surely about to happen. Seth was impulsive. He wouldn't think before he attacked. Then again- shouldn't that be what I should be doing too? Attacking and thinking about it later?

"Embry?" She must have repeated, slight annoyance masked in her voice.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were ready."

I stood up and walked out of the cell which Jane must have already unlocked and I followed her blindly to the room she must have been talking about.

In the room were a few of the familiar beeping machines I recognized from the first test. It was a pretty big room with marble floors, dark red wallpaper with gold accents, and large oak desk that had been pushed against the wall for this experiment.

Thankfully, Seth was no where to be seen. Yet.

As if she had read my mind, "Seth will be here momentarily. My brother will be escorting him here."

Huge weights fell from my shoulders and I couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief; Jane's eyes curiously looking over to me.

"We simply felt it would be...safer to have him here as well in case anything went wrong."

"Went wrong?" I asked, suddenly alarmed.

"As in if either of you were to not cooperate. It isn't that I believe you will per say, but one must be prepared. Now if you will," her eyes looked me up and down once, "please phase so we can hook you up to the machines."

Nodding my head, Jane turned around and I undressed quickly to phase. It was a good thing we had gone to another room for this- it was even a tight squeeze in the big room.

It seemed to take hours to untangle and attach the wires to my head appropriately amid the fur. I found my eyes continuing to drag themselves to the door waiting to see if Seth was still under the impression we should attack. Moments after I was all set up and had lay down to wait, his voice showed up.

 _Embry! You're okay!_

 _Of course I'm okay ya weirdo._

 _You ditched me last night._ He sounded sad, but I couldn't feel an ounce of pity for him.

 _I had to go, Seth._

 _What happened with you and that girl vampire?_

 _Nothing, Seth._

 _Seemed like something was happening._

 _Nothing. Happened. Seth. Drop it._

 _Fine. You're no fun._

It didn't sound like he was in the mood for a fight, but then again, he was a stubborn kid with the best of intentions.

I looked through his eyes to see he was just coming down the hall- Alec had made him phase ahead of time so he wouldn't have to hear him chatter I'm sure.

When they entered the room, Jane and Alec exchanged a look and nodded to one another; something that gave me an eerie feeling under my fur.

 _Did your new girlfriend tell you anything about what they are doing to us?_

 _Seriously Seth? Are you four?_

 _Well did she say anything?_ He was more anxious now, his eyes glued to me as I lay on the floor calmly.

 _All she said was that they were going to test us to see how our brain activity was or some shit when we talk to each other with our thoughts._

 _So like right now?_

My eyes glanced over to the machines which didn't seem to be moving or beeping rapidly, but a few lines were bobbing up and down and I wondered if that machine could really tell them such things.

 _How has it been with your guy? Her brother?_

 _Alec is... meaner than your girl. Not really MEAN but he isn't nice I'll tell you that._

 _Has he hurt you?_

A fleeting memory shot through Seth's brain. Flashes of him being thrown against a wall, denied food and his face being slammed and held under water as he drank filled my head and I snarled; my body getting rigid and ready for attack.

 _It's fine, Embry. I'm okay. Really._ He was trying to reassure me, but he had become a little brother to all us boys in the pack and I couldn't fight the desire to want to rip that bloodsucker's head off right then and there; Jane or no Jane.

Alec glanced on me, a wicked smile on his face. "Looks as though someone is agitated. I don't believe I've done anything to deserve such disrespect, have I dear sister?"

Jane shook her head quietly. "Alec, let him be. He has been very cooperative."

"Oh Jane, don't tell me you've allowed this mongrel to get to you after all these years? Pity. I had thought you were much stronger than one who develops feelings for someone of such a low standard."

"And perhaps I thought you were the same brother I once grew up with those eons ago."

 _Ooooh... twin fighting._

 _Shut up, Seth._

Alec's brow raised slightly and he calmly crossed his arms with his eyes remaining on Jane. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

Jane glanced around the room between Seth and I; her eyes lingering on me before returning to look at her brother who was still awaiting an answer.

"I believe we have some tests to run. It is best to drop this silly argument and continue with the task at hand." her lips pursed together sternly; Alec's mouth opening slightly as if to counter her and then reconsidering.

"Indeed, Jane. Which test shall we run first?"

"First, you will need to hook Subject A up to the monitors as I have done. However, you must be careful not to get the fur in otherwise we will not receive an accurate reading."

Alec nodded his head and quickly began to put the stickies on the ends of the wires in the same places mine were. And while he was being careful with avoiding large tufts of hair, he had no problem pulling on Seth's fur harder than needed and this bothered me. I felt my body tense in restraint; not wanting to start a fight.

 _Embry, I'm really fine._ Seth reassured, and I took a breath to relax my body. _It's all gonna be okay._

 _What makes you say that?_

 _Because today we make our escape!_

 _I thought you dropped that dumb idea already._

"It appears they are communicating. Shall we begin our recording of the results?"

"Gentlemen," Jane addressed us and we both moved our heads to look to her, "if you would please begin communicating with one another on my cue, that would be excellent."

I nodded my head and Seth followed suit, Jane watching a clock before jotting something down on her clipboard and nodding her head once. "Alright. You may begin."

 _So what are we supposed to talk about?_

 _Hopefully nothing_ I thought with frustration; not particularly glad Seth hadn't dropped the escape idea.

 _Do you think you could cause some kinda distraction so we can get one of them to leave the room?_

 _Sure I could, but I'm not gonna._

 _Why won't you even try?_

 _Because... because I am cooking up my own escape plan._ Sure, I may have been lying, but it was kinda true; I was hoping I could get Jane to like me enough to let us go peacefully. Who needs another reason for them to hate us anyway?

"Don't you wonder exactly what it is they are discussing?" Alec asked, but Jane remained focused on the things she was writing on her clipboard.

"Not particularly. It is of no interest to me."

A sudden knock on the door made me jump slightly; Alec moving to open the door to a man with bright white hair, almost matching his skin tone. His eyes were the same piercing shade of red as the twins, and he appeared to be a very well preserved fourty something year old, though I suspect he is much older.

"Master Caius," Alec greeted him, my teeth gritting together slightly as recognition of who he was, "To what do we owe the pleasure? You knew we were running the tests on the wolves today."

"Indeed." He replied, an evil smirk plastered on his stone-like face. "I am here out of mere curiosity to the results. May I?" he asked; his arm out as if to invite himself inside.

"Certainly." Alec responded, bowing his head slightly as he walked passed him and further into the room.

Caius glided across the marble floor towards Seth and I, his eyes locked on me, moving to briefly glancing at Seth before returning to look at me.

 _Caius..._ Seth thought quietly, trying to remember him.

 _He was the one who hates us. Remember? Like hates us hates us._

 _Oh yeah, the werewolf guy. OH YEAH the werewolf guy, Embry what are we gonna do?_

 _Nothing yet. Calm down, can't you hear the monitors?_ He silenced quickly, the monitors quieting with his lack of brain activity.

"Won't you explain your findings as of yet, dear Jane?" Caius asked, now approaching her as she nodded and stiffened slightly; her posture making her appear slightly taller than she really was.

"We have only just begun, it would be rather difficult to-"

"Nonsense. There must be something you can tell me about these... werewolves."

"Master Caius, I can assure you, these wolves are much different than that of werewolves."

"But can you be SURE?"

"In addition to the research I have collected, folklore confirms that their shape shifting is in an entirely different category. The fact that they can shape into wolves is by pure coincidence."

"Interesting..." although he didn't sound very interested. It grew very clear that he had already made up his mind about us. "And have these creatures given you much difficulty in caring for them while they are here visiting?"

"I have no complaints thus far."

"Not even that...wretched smell?"

Jane crinkled her nose mildly. "I could certainly do without the smell, but I suppose it comes with the territory."

"Ahh." Caius' eyes kept drawing towards mine and the look he continued to give me made my spine tingle.

"The only question I have," Alec began, "is why we are wasting our time on this kind of research?"

"Because," Caius' voice was firm now, almost rude. "Aro wishes to know more about these mongrels so they will not pose a threat for our next trip to Forks." His eyes shot over to mine, a wicked grin hiding inside them.

 _This is IT, Embry. He's trying to START a fight._

 _Well duh. But a fight, especially with three of them, will NOT end well, and you know it._

"How fascinating to see just when they begin to communicate, is it not? I wonder what kinds of plots are forming in their little brains. Are you sure this test is the best idea?"

 _He's trying to egg us on._

I gave a look to Jane who seemed to acknowledge me and then focus her attention again on Caius.

"Is there anything else I can show you, Master? Or may I continue my tests? We wouldn't want to fall short of results for Master Aro."

"How convenient it is for you to ignore the question I posed to you. Must I remind you of your position here and your loyalties?"

"No Master Caius I simply-"

"I find it rather odd. Your behavior as of recently. I've begun to wonder if you are truly happy with us."

Jane became quiet now, a stare down clearly happening between the two of them.

"Are you, Jane? Are you happy here?"

"Of course." She responded after a beat.

Caius clicked his tongue; his frosty white eyebrows raising in doubt of how genuine her words actually were.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He took a step towards her, Jane's position remaining still as a statue. "Aro and Marcus may be fooled by your happiness here, but I am not. Perchance I pay a visit to Chelsea."

"You will find nothing but loyalty. I believe I have proven my loyalties to the Volturi on many an occasion, and I do not appreciate such doubts."

"And I do not appreciate being lied to, Jane." He looked to Alec for a moment before returning his gaze to Jane. As if nothing had happened, Caius began again; new light in his voice. "Glad to see all is going accordingly. You may proceed." with a lingering look in Jane's general direction, he turned to leave the room and closed the door with a soft click.

 _That was... really weird._ Seth commented full of confusion as this thoughts spun around in his head.

 _Knock it off, you're making me dizzy over here._

 _We have to leave, Embry. If the Volturi are planning to come back to Forks, knowing all about us and what we can do and stuff... we have to be ready._

 _And alive. Patience, Seth. I promise we will get out of here. I know I'm no Alpha, but I'm pretty sure I got this._

 _I just want to help..._ Great. He was whining now.

 _Seth... you will._

"What was Caius saying about your loyalties? If you are not happy Jane-"

"Why does everyone insist I am unhappy?" She burst out, which was kinda unusual for Jane. "I have done nothing for such suspicions to be valid or even realistic."

Alec's eyes softened; something I hadn't seen yet. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "We shall discuss this later."

"No, we will not. I have no desire to continue explaining myself."

"If Caius believes it to be true, he will not give in until he proves his point."

"I think you should leave, Alec." Her voice was soft; almost hurt. She cast her eyes down to her clipboard and skimmed over the words she had written there.

"Jane..."

"Please, Alec. I wish to get through with this test and speak with Master Marcus."

"I see." He turned on his heel and eyed us for a moment before leaving the room completely, a familiar click following him out the door.

My look focused on her, her eyes meeting mine and then fluttering away, suddenly becoming nervous. Rightfully so.

In a moment, without any warning **whatsoever,** something in the corner of my eyes leaped to it's feet, and it didn't take a genius to figure out just what that was.

 _SETH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!_

He growled at Jane; his head nodding towards me as if he could get me to join in on his ridiculous escape plan.

Jane's eyes focused on Seth for a brief moment, but he jumped away from her line of sight and out of the door with a large CRASH!

I huffed loudly, my eyes looking to Jane and nodding once, trying to tell her as best as I could that I would be back, and ran after his dumb ass as he approached whoever was out there ready to kill him.

 _C'mon, Embry! Let's GO!_

 _Seth, I-I can't._

 _Well you can't stay here now that_ _ **I've**_ _escaped... they'll kill you._

 _You did that, not me._

I ran carefully across the marbled floors trying to be quiet enough not to arouse any suspicion; although it's not really easy when everyone has super sonic bloodsucker hearing and thinks you smell really gross.

 _I did not, I tried to SAVE us. You wanted to hang out with your new best friend you got over there._

 _You're being dumb, Seth. She just hasn't treated me like complete shit. And that's something I'm not super used to. Not all of us have been blessed with families that showed them what it felt like to be treated like you're wanted._

He was up ahead just aways from me and I could see the fur of his tail disappear around the corner.

 _You HAVE a family that wants you, Embry. With US! At HOME! NOT. HERE._

 _C'mon Seth. You are the ONE person who should be at least DECENT about this. I'm not all hating on the bloodsuckers. Isn't that what you always complain about? How we don't give them a chance to be good creatures?_

 _Yeah... with the CULLENS! Not the freakin' Volturi!_

In a split second, Jane came sliding in front of Seth, his eyes depicting the whole thing for me- something that only made me move faster to where a fight was about to go down.

Seth growled and lowered his head, this thoughts clear: _I didn't wanna hurt anyone... but we HAVE to get home._

 _Seth, don't!_

But he started to leap up, but Jane's eyes were quicker. In an instant, his body was enveloped in such pain, it radiated through his thoughts and started to attack my body. But something inside me kept pushing to keep running through the pain and get to where they were. Probably thinking Seth was out for a while from her pain glare, Jane turned around to leave him be, but he got to his feet in seconds to jump and tackle Jane from behind.

She pushed at him to get him off, but as he gnashed his teeth in her face it was obvious Seth wasn't going to back down on this one. His thoughts were still screaming at me to help him so we could get away together, and I was starting to think his little lessons with Paul about fight technique in wolf-form weren't exactly the best idea anymore. He'd never been this fight-ready before since he'd first phased.

They rolled on the ground, Jane now kicking him off and into the wall; a huge indent forming where his body smacked it. In one movement, he landed on his feet almost like some kind of cat or something and snarled at Jane as he ran towards her- her eyes stopping him once more; him dropping to the ground whimpering in pain.

"Do you believe you could escape just like that? So easily on MY watch?" She was walking toward him, her look intensifying and it took everything in me to push passed the second-hand pain and approached the two in the already destroyed hallway.

With a single sniff, Jane's eye contact broke away from Seth to glance at me, her rigid body relaxing slightly as our eyes locked. The intensity of the gaze we were sharing almost made me feel frozen in time. It didn't take long for Seth to recover and break our look by leaping on Jane to stand above her while she lay on the ground; a small crack rising from her neck up into her face.

I growled and tackled Seth into a pillar; him biting at my fur to get me off of him.

 _Embry, I had it!_

 _I know you did you idiot! You're going to get us AND OUR FAMILIES killed!_

I butted him to slide backwards on the slick marble floor and pounded my front paws one by one on the floor in a protective stance between him and Jane; growling deep in my chest.

 _SETH. Knock. It. Off. If you kill her, you will be signing our death certificates. Don't you want to go home to Leah? SAFELY?!_

"What an unusual sight." An unfamiliar voice quietly said.

"Jane!" Alec shouted, running to her as she stood up and rubbed at the crack on her smooth, translucent skin.

I continued to growl at Seth as he returned the glare and snarled back for a moment before giving up, his head bowing slightly in surrender.

 _I... I don't know what got into me..._ Seth's thoughts were quiet and almost ashamed, his head lowering even more as he limped back a few steps and remained still.

I turned around to look at Jane who had her eyes focused on me in utter confusion.

At the foot of the staircase appeared Caius and another leech; a short brown-haired woman who looked vaguely familiar.

"Just WHAT do you think you are doing, mutt?!" Caius shouted, starting towards me.

"Caius, stop!" Jane said just softer then a scream. "He hasn't done anything!"

"We do NOT give second chances. This wolf has harmed a Volturi guard **di** rectly and shall be punished as any other-"

"It was a MISUNDERSTANDING!" She emphasized loudly, Caius' eyes growing wide.

"How **dare** you interrupt-"

"Silence." The unfamiliar voice belonging to a young man who also looked like someone I had seen before. By the way he was talking to Caius, I assumed he was the other Master that Jane had spoken of: Marcus.

"My dear," He said. His voice was incredibly calm and borderline monotone. His eyes looked tired, although that was probably impossible for someone like him, and they looked kindly down at Jane "What has happened here?"

Her eyes glanced between Seth and myself before looking at Marcus.

Her words were deliberate yet careful as she spoke.

"I made a mistake. The wolves were only defending themselves. Emb-" She cut off in the middle of my name, quickly picking up and continuing, "Subject B actually... defended me."

"Shall I get Aro to confirm this?" Caius asked Marcus who held a hand out delicately in front of him.

"We will not bother Aro with such a trivial dispute."

"As if a werewolf would defend a vampire." Caius retorted quietly.

"A shapeshifter, as I told you before." Jane countered with a slight edge.

Alec's eyes narrowed to Caius. "Funny how you were with Chelsea mere doors away from here and chose not to do a thing about such a fight."

"Enough of this bickering." Marcus cut in, his voice sounding bored of their fancy talk fight. "Alec, please accompany your guest back to his cell. And Jane, I suggest you do the same; we will talk when you return."

"Such a damaging fight should be brought to the attention of Aro. He would want to know about this." Caius' voice was arrogant, and the woman who stood next to him, who now had the name of Chelsea, had a small smile on her lips.

Marcus turned, his robe swooping around with him before flapping to a stop as he paused midstep and turned around to face him. "You may certainly show him your side of the matter. Would you like to show him, Caius?" his tone was pointed, a hint of emotion I wasn't expecting. Their eyes met for just a moment before Caius sighed and walked away; Chelsea leaving for her room.

"You are alright, Jane?" Marcus asked once more, and as she nodded her head he disappeared as fast as he had shown up.

I glanced over to Seth who had stood up to stand beside me, his head still looking down.

"Let's go, mutt."

"Alec." Jane said quietly.

With a huff, "Subject A."

"Remember we cannot harm them. They need to return to La Push like Aro said."

"But he can harm you? My own sister expects me not to punish one who has hurt her."

"I expect you to listen to our masters and do as we have been told. If they do not return-"

"We will cause an unnecessary war. I remember." Alec sighed and nodded to Seth so they too could turn to leave, Seth's thoughts continuing in my head.

 _I don't understand... Embry I don't know what got into me... I'm really sorry._

I worried for him alone with Alec after he attacked his sister; I wouldn't put it behind him to punish him for such a thing.

 _Just cooperate from now on, okay Seth? I'll figure something else out to get us home._

 _But I didn't even wanna fight, Embry. I really didn't!_

 _Seth, stop worrying about convincing me and worry about convincing Alec not to kill you when you get back to your cell._

 _Okay..._ He was nervous now, but when I approached my unpleasantly familiar cell I had no choice but to phase and leave his thoughts.

 _You'll be okay, Seth. Scouts honor._

 _I hope you're right._

And with that, I phased to my fleshy self and pulled on my cut offs when I was once again behind the iron bars.

"I'm clothed."

Jane turned around and looked at me with relief, not bothering to close or lock the door.

"I'm so sorry, Jane. That's totally not like him... he kept telling me he couldn't figure out why he did that. It's just... he's so not a fighter I swe-"

"I believe you. Chelsea caused this."

"The chick with Caius?"

She scrunched her nose, "Chick?" her face went back to normal, "Yes. That is her."

"How though?"

"She has the very useful gift of being able to manipulate bonds between others. I think Caius put her up to causing a fight for his own sick amusement."

"What do you mean by 'manipulate bonds?' Like that Cullen?"

"Jasper? No, he only deals with emotions. Chelsea can control, for instance, how strong my tie is to the Volturi. Likewise, she could control Seth's tie to you and instead make his with me even worse than I'm sure it naturally is. She very easily could have caused that fight; if it is really unlike him."

"You have no idea. He was the first to break from the pack to follow Jake when everyone wanted to kill Renesmee. He's like... one of the only wolves who genuinely gets along with ALL the Cullens." I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "The kid has a thing about him or something."

"I believe Master Marcus suspects something as well, even if he isn't sure what it is."

"He seems pretty cool." I blurted out and Jane smiled.

"He is the most understanding of my Masters. And he does not care much for fighting- of any kind."

I sat down on my bed/bench and rested my elbows on my knees; my hands cupping my face as I leaned over.

"So if that Chelsea girl did all this for Caius, what's his deal?"

" 'His deal' is that he dislikes your kind, even if you aren't werewolves. And because of this, I'm afraid for the direction of this research."

"Will Seth be okay?" I asked, truly hoping she would put my fear to rest.

"I believe so. Alec wouldn't harm because of Master Aro's orders. Although why Aro wants to know so much about your kind and yet not hurt you still baffles me. It simply isn't like him."

"He doesn't tell you why you do stuff?" I asked, Jane shrugging her shoulders once and moving to sit cross legged on the floor just inside the cell across from me- something she had never done before.

"It is not information we are to be disclosed with. We simply follow our orders."

"Sounds like the pack. But we usually know why." I pointed to my head twice. "Thoughts thing."

A quiet laugh came out of Jane and she nodded her head slightly.

"Yes, I can imagine."

I watched as she remained still as a statue where she sat. It's funny, she reminded me of this statue of an angel I saw once at a cemetery Ma took me to so we could leave flowers at my grandma's grave. The statue had puzzled me because it looked so sad, as if it was crying only moments before we got there, even though it was a statue and statues couldn't cry. The thing was here was this tear-less weeping angel, and angels are supposed to be happy. How could an angel be so sad?

And in this moment, as Jane sat before me motionless, it reminded me again of this angel from the cemetery. With no tears or tear stains, it looked as if she had been crying only seconds ago. This beautiful angel who wasn't so angelic after all.

"Why would you protect me?" my thoughts popped like a bubble at her words, and I blinked my eyes a couple of times before looking to Jane who continued. "Defend me against your own brother? Your family."

"Because you didn't deserve to be fought. You hadn't done anything."

"But you could have run."

"I didn't want to."

"I don't understand."

"I didn't want to run, I guess."

"Why would you wish to stay here? Captive?"

I moved my hands from holding my face to holding the side of the bench, still leaning over, and shrugged slightly, tilting my head to the side and focusing my eyes on a piece of rust at the bottom of the bars.

"It's not that I wanna be here it's more like..." I combed my brain trying to think of a good example and sighed, leaning back against the cold wall and folding my arms over my stomach. "Its more like I don't particularly want to be there."

"Where would you rather be?" Jane asked inquisitively.

"I wanna see the world actually. So I guess Italy isn't that bad."

"But you haven't even seen Italy, how would you know?"

I chuckled. "Books."

"Pictures hold no comparison to the real beauty of Italy. I have grown to love it here."

"Than why do you look so sad all the time?" I somehow regretted this question, but Jane didn't seem to care too much about it's content.

"I am not sad. I... I am bored."

"Like the Marcus guy?"

Jane shook her head. "He has faced a great deal of tragedy. He lost his mate at the hands of Master Aro. If it weren't for Chelsea's gift, he would have probably done away with himself after the loss of Didyme."

"Oh" was all I could think of.  
"Wait," I said, "how do you know that? Does everyone know that?"

"Not everybody per say. Marcus himself told me."

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"When you have nothing else to exist for besides the falsehood of your loyalties to the only beings you can call family, what else is there to do but muddle through your existence?"

I shook my head and looked up at the ceiling.

"That sounds horrible."

Jane stood up, brushing off her skirt as she usually did, and left the cell, quietly closing the door.

"I must speak with Marcus about something now. Thank you again."

"Hey- thank you." She cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brows in confusion. "For telling them it was a mistake so they wouldn't hurt Seth."

"Of course."

"But why? Why would you do that when he attacked you?"

Jane thought for a moment before smiling slightly. "I wanted to thank you somehow I suppose."

"Huh?"

Jane turned around and began to walk away.

"Maybe by ensuring his and your safety I could show you I was thankful for your... defense. Perhaps I may find a way to thank you better one day, wolf." There was a hint of a smile in her voice, and it wasn't long before she was gone completely leaving me alone with the iron bars and my thoughts.

I stood up and lunged to each side, stretching out my legs that felt incredibly tired for some reason and then leaned up against the barred door, only to fall backwards and land hard on my back.

When I opened my eyes, I rolled over to push my self up and dust off my elbows before stopping.

The door was unlocked.

I looked around at the empty cells around me and then behind me inside the jail I had become so accustomed to.

I stood up and circled around once, still checking if this was a real thing.

That door... was unlocked.

Was Jane really just...letting me go? Do I take this chance? Is this some kind of test? What should I do about Seth?

All the questions swarmed in my head so fast, I felt like I was drowning, and I found my legs moving forward all by themselves. I was about to walk right out of the Volturi castle.

But where was I supposed to go?

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was hard to organize all my thoughts and ideas into one chapter, so I hope it turned out well! I think it did!**

 **Let me know!**

 **FAVORITE, SUBSCRIBE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY... REVIEW!**

 **see you at the next chapter!**

 **xoxo**

 **Polkahotness**


	5. A Change of Plans

**Hello all!**

 **Like most writers, I too listen to music when I write, and even have a specialized playlist on spotify for my EmbryxJane fic.**

 **As I'm sure you have already figured out, I am about to tell you about a song that inspired this chapter and you, dear reader, would be correct :)**

 **The song that really inspired me this chapter is a song called**

" **Ophelia" by: Lena Fayre**

 **This song would be more from Jane's POV, at least in my head it was, kind of to help with her dialogue in lack of Embry's response since he is in wolf-form. And of course to illustrate Jane's confusion at her changing feelings and unfamiliar emotions.**

 **Anyway, I really hope you check out this song in combination with the chapter.**

 **Enjoy, and make sure you REVIEW this chapter (and all of them for that matter)!**

* * *

I darted around the trees, weaving my way in and out of the spaces between them. I couldn't hear Seth, which meant he must have phased once he got back to his cell. I ran faster and harder than I ever had, the wind gliding through my fur with each fast step I took until I reached the end of the trees.

I looked out at the open space before me and wondered just what I should do. Should I leave? Stay here? Plan an escape for Seth?

I found myself sitting on the grass beneath me and staring out at the possibilities that lay ahead.

The sky had morphed to a shade of orangey-red and I realized that it was sunset once again; the second one I had been able to take in since being here. Seemed a shame to be held captive in such a beautiful country. Clouds spread out like cotton balls adding dimension to the hues that colored the sky, and I moved to lay down and relax my head on my paws.

Just what was I supposed to do?

"I thought for sure you would have left by now." Jane's familiar voice came from behind the trees, her pale figure coming into the sunset's light.

I looked back at her and then returned to lay my head back on my paws.

"I suppose you don't want to leave Seth alone here." She stated; which was true. I couldn't very well leave him here and show back up to La Push- Leah would have my head.

"Either that, or you didn't want to miss this sunset. I would not blame you... it's beautiful today."

I took a deep breath and let it out, my body relaxing at this. Jane looked over to me and then up to the sky, her eyes inspecting each color and cloud wave.

"I spoke with Master Marcus." She continued, and I looked up at her with my head still relaxed. "I'm beginning to believe maybe it is time I left Italy myself."

I perked my head up and turned to look at her completely; her focus still among the clouds.

"Each day I grow tired, not physically of course but mentally. It is tiring to spend your existence punishing others day after day. I find that my mind wanders often to where I could be and what I could see. The things I could use my eternal existence enjoying rather than destroying."

My gaze remained on her- on the way she watched the sky ebb and flow with the wind. She seemed like that angel again, woeful and angelic; invisible tears falling from a stone face.

"The way you spoke of imprints the other day, Embry," she began, her words coming out uncensored and less thought out than I had ever heard before. "I... it made me want, rather, long for a chance to find my own mate."

She flickered her eyes downward to the spot beside me where I was laying and bent at her knees to sit on her legs, her feet tucked beneath her butt. "Something I had," her voice was soft now; her head cast down as she picked at the hem of her skirt, "never thought about before, never even...considered."

Jane's slender hands rubbed fingers one by one, almost nervous as she continued to speak. "I don't understand... I don't understand why I feel as though you, of all creatures, draw me to you- to trusting you. I don't understand why it is I am suddenly so blank in how I feel. I told-I told Marcus I felt as though I could understand his boredom with existence. He told me I was growing up, as if I were a child. As if I hadn't lived the lifespan of thousands. And Alec, he simply does not understand my dilemma. He is content to be; a guard member until the end of time. But I wish to know others, to meet others and to... to get to know someone as completely as I know Alec, my very twin. I long to build a relationship based on something besides my gift but rather built on our mutual interest in each other. Since birth, I've never felt alone or unfulfilled with Alec by my side. But..."her head turned so she could look at me, and my eyes held onto hers, "I'm lonely. I feel... empty."

Slowly and cautiously, I scooted over to lay my head upon her lap. She jumped slightly at the warmth of my head resting on her before relaxing slightly and gently setting her cool hands on the top of my head. I shut my eyes softly at the oddly calming sensation her temperature gave me.

"Master Marcus still holds a love for Didyme that Chelsea has never been able to completely break, despite her efforts. There is something about love that makes the bond difficult to completely rip apart. She can turn a pair against each other by wearing down their ties, it takes more effort than it would take with a pair of friends or mere acquaintances, but she can never fully cut that final string that ties them together. The stronger the love, the harder it is to destroy a bond. Even our gifts hold limitations." I felt her look on me, but didn't want to open my eyes; my own brain consumed with the details Jane was telling me.

Her fingertips gently stroked the fur on my head, my body relaxing with each brush. The wind had picked up slightly and the sound of leaves and grass dancing around us filled the air. I became incredibly aware of my heartbeat, strong and steady, and wondered if Jane too could hear it as loudly as it sounded to me.

"Master Aro wishes to convert one of the wolves." Jane murmured and I opened my eyes, perking my head up to look at her more completely. "When I spoke with Master Marcus, he told me Aro is planning to do something to add a wolf, or two, to the guard. He believes this will make the Volturi untouchable to others. Chelsea was instructed to experiment with her gifts on you wolves to see if it was possible to turn you against your own kind. Clearly, it worked."

My eyes widened, and I moved to stand up; tripping on the pants I had tied around my ankle. Almost alarmed, Jane quickly shot up.

"Are you alright?" She asked. I rolled to sit on my side and untuck the pants from under me. Jane bent down and untied them, quickly folding the pants and setting them down on the ground beside me.

"I will go to Seth's cell and release him now... If I had known this was Master Aro's plan, perhaps I may have never agreed to these tests. You would have never had to be brought here." her voice was soft again, and she turned around to begin towards the castle. "I wish you well, Embry." she mumbled as she walked away, her footsteps muddled through the sound of the grass.

With a deep inhale, the crisp air filling my lungs, I phased. Reaching down, I grabbed the pants and pulled them on promptly. "Jane," I called after her, and she stopped to turn and look at me over her shoulder, "Wait." I said again and she continued to turn and face me completely, her eyes watching me peculiarly.

"Wh-what should I do?" I asked, Jane's eyebrows raising slightly.

"Run. Find yourselves a way home. Seth will be along shortly after I release him." She went to turn again, but I reached out to stop her; my hand remaining on her shoulder.

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"What will you do?"

She looked over at my hand on her before shaking her head slightly; looking at her feet.

"I will remain here and continue my duties."

"No you won't." I said flatly. Jane's eyes rose to look in mine.

"Yes I will."

"Not after everything you just told me. You have to... you have to leave."

"I will be found and killed, Embry. Master Aro does whatever it takes to keep his guard, even if that means destroying the very thing that makes you wish to leave in the first place. There are many casualties when something stands in Aro's way."

"So come with me," I said quickly, "I can handle him."

"You couldn't. Not your, nor your entire pack. He has endless servants who blindly follow his orders. You would be disposed of."

I frowned and removed my hand from her shoulder to cross my arms over my chest.

"Then... then you can find a way to change your name and hide yourself in somewhere super remote."

"He would find me. Demetri is a powerful tracker. He could track me across the world if he desired. Aro picks his family for a reason."

"There has to be SOMETHING you could do to escape Aro and that life if you wanted, Jane." I shook my head again and sighed.

"Well," Jane just barely whispered, "Master Marcus did mention something to me. But it comes at a great cost."

My eyes focused in on Jane as she hesitantly began to explain.

"There is a nomad he knows of, who travels the land frequently. Aro once began to tie him to our clan, but found his gifts weren't as useful as he imagined they would be, and dismissed him. His name is Haelan."

I nodded my head quickly, egging her on to continue. "What does he do? What's his power or whatever?"

"He is a healer, appropriately so given that is what his name means."

"A healer? Okay. So how does that help?"

"Haelan is the most powerful healer of our entire race. No other vampire has ever had a gift quite like his before. Many of our kind believe him to be a myth; a devil's creature with the gift of rebirth given to him from God or whatever higher power there may be. He possess the ability to transform a vampire back into a human again."

My jaw absentmindedly dropped and I shook my head to wake my jaw up to close itself.

"That exists?" I exclaimed, Jane remaining still as I remained awestruck at such an idea.

"The catch, however, is I can never return to my eternal self. Once he has turned you, you can never be bitten again and turned- you would only die."

"Oh." I managed, the allure fading slightly. "Have you considered it?"

"What would I have when I awoke with my heartbeat and fragility? And who is to say Aro still wouldn't come after me and dispose of me too?"

"Couldn't Marcus do something to convince Aro or something?" I asked, shooting out as many ideas as I could, though why I couldn't figure out.

"Why do you continue on? There are no options for me. Soon enough Chelsea will discover my bonds are wearing down and only tighten them. No use in wasting time considering something I will never follow through with."

"But if Marcus suggested it, don't you think that means he could help? Or would?"

"I'm sure he would. But at what cost, Embry?"

"Hasn't he already, in his own opinion, lost everything? Don't you think he would risk it to help you?"

"He only would do that because he believes there is a special bond developing between us." She blurted out, then scattering her gaze to anything but my eyes.  
"How would he even know that? Isn't that Chelsea's thing?"

Jane shook her head and pursed her lips.

"Marcus has a gift very similar. Where Chelsea can only sense and change the bonds, Marcus sees them. He sees the strength of loyalties, families, covens, your pack... even mates and imprints. He can tell how much someone loves or hates another. He can see if someone is willing to die for the other. Marcus said he sees a tie growing between us in a way he's never seen between people of my kind and yours. He's... he's fascinated by it."

"He saw that when he saw us the other day?" I asked, Jane shaking her head.

"When I first brought you here."

"But I hadn't even talked to you before-"

"That's why it fascinates him...He's never seen anything like it. He hasn't told this to Aro yet, but it's only a matter of time before he wishes to see Marcus' thoughts and he discovers the bond. That tie between you and I would be all he needs to decide you are the wolf to take for the guard."

I shook my head and frowned slightly, almost sick at the idea of working for the Volturi against my family and friends.

"I would never-"

"You would have no choice if Chelsea were to become involved. That is why it is so important you and Seth leave and warn your packs."

"So hold on- if there is a bond between us," I started, choosing my words carefully, "wouldn't that mean you like me or something?"

"I believe I could ask you the same question, Embry. Maybe it's you who likes me 'and something.'" she used little quote fingers around the last two words and I felt my cheeks get a little warm.

"I think you're certainly a lot better than most blood-" I stopped myself, "most _vampires_ that I've met."

"And I say the same for you and your kind." She nodded her head once, finalizing her point and quickly turning around to leave the conversation. "I should get Seth now and-"

"He told you what kind of bond, didn't he?" I called out after her, her footsteps coming to a halt but refusing to face me.

"He told you what kind of bond it was, didn't he Jane?" I repeated, and Jane slowly turned back around to face me, her eyes still avoiding mine, and unnecessarily brushed off her skirt as she often did.

"Yes, he did." she finally said.

I took a step towards her. "And?"

"I told you, it was unlike anything he had ever seen before-"

"Jane." I said firmly, and her eyes skittered up to look into mine.

"It doesn't matter, because it's impossible." She said almost as fast as she could, her body tense.

"That's why he wants to help you?" I pushed, Jane not wanting to explain any further. "Because...?" I prompted, but Jane remained stiff, her eyes not breaking from mine.

"They are feelings, Embry. On both sides. It appears our little talks have influenced our emotions. It was never my intent."

"I don't think it's ever anyone's really..." I added, my voice trailing off.

"It is odd, though," Jane continued, taking steps closer to me and I found myself stumbling back as she grew closer, "that I've never felt a desire to leave the Volturi quite like I have since you arrived."

I shook my head, suddenly nervous this conversation was taking a turn for the worst.

"J-Jane..."

"Your heart is racing, Embry." Jane whispered as she reached me, my back now pinned to a tree.

I'd been cornered.

Her frigid fingertips brushed the skin on my cheek and I felt my body shiver at the temperature and the fear that was now pumping through my body.

She held my face with her hand, squeezing my cheeks as she had done the day I first arrived in Italy, and then pushed my head back, just gently pressing against the tree. "You and your feelings need to go home so I can be at peace." She spit the words at me, and my eyes widened at such a change in demeanor.

"Jane... I-"

"I can't do this. Not here. Not now." She released my face and dropped her arms to her sides, her eyes now somber and defeated. "Maybe in another lifetime, Embry..." her voice was quiet now, more relaxed, and the weeping angel turned to walk away from me, my back still against the tree.

For a while I watched her as she slowly took herself back to the castle, though I couldn't understand why she would choose to walk so slowly. Maybe to let her thoughts roam. Maybe to avoid returning to that place.

Maybe waiting.

In a burst of adrenaline, I found myself running towards her for whatever reason; compelled to do so.

Turning around and looking back at me drawing nearer, she began to run, though not at full speed it didn't seem. Soon we were running through the woods, me after her, and to what I didn't know. I just kept my feet going one in front of the other until somehow I was right behind her, almost within arm's reach. In an instant of crazed idiocy, I reached out and grabbed her, the speed at which we were running causing us to skid to a halt, my hand firmly on her shoulder.

"What are you-" Jane began, but without a second thought in the world, I spontaneously and slightly erratically pressed my lips to hers as hard as I could manage, the chill submerging under my skin and sending a wave of a high I couldn't explain through my body.

For a moment, she remained still and motionless under my lips, but after a moment her body began to relax and her lips began to press against mine. My body began to feel a twinge of pain creeping up under my skin. It was not unbearable, but enough to make my body go rigid and flex against the pain that only made my heart beat faster and my lips grow more anxious. Jane's sickly sweet scent mixed in with mine and soon there was no me and her- our scent becoming one sweet musky smell I couldn't place as good or bad.

I felt her chilly palms touch at my chest, and push me apart from her; my eyes opening to see an expression on her face that I couldn't quite read.

As she bored into my eyes with hers I found myself unable to hold the contact, blinking once and averting my eyes to the ground. I reached up and rubbed at the back of my neck slightly stuttering out, "S-sorry. I uh... I don't really know why I did that."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, afraid to see her expression again, and turned away from her to wander over and sit on the ground.

The wind blew against my back and I felt suddenly cold all over my body, a chill I hadn't experienced since before I phased.

The grass crunched from behind me, Jane's footsteps leading her to quietly sit beside me. From my peripheral vision I could tell she wasn't looking at me anymore, but rather out at the now dark red-orange sky.

"The nomad comes to visit Rome in two days. If you believe you can handle staying in Volterra for that amount of time..." she paused, slowly turning to look at me, "we can travel there and meet with him."

I watched her watch me for a moment, waiting for my answer.

"S-sure. Yeah, y-yeah I can."

She reached down to push herself back up and stand, brushing off her skirt of the grass that clung to the fabric. "We should probably go inside now. I believe you and Seth need to be fed."

Blinking a few times, I nodded my head and stood up as well. "Are we not even gonna talk about what just happened?" I asked, dumbfounded.

Jane smiled softly and clasped her hands in front of her, standing tall.

"What do you wish to discuss?"

"Well I kinda just kissed you..."

"Yes, you did."

"And you... you kissed me back."

A beat.

"Correct again, Embry. Although, I fail to understand what there is to discuss when you keep pointing out facts."

I grinned wide, soon pulling my lips in around my teeth, slightly embarrassed; looking downward at my feet.

"What will you do? Aro won't let you go, you know."

"I'm aware. I... I will talk with Marcus. Perhaps he has further ideas to help."

"Are you... are you scared?"

Jane's eyes shifted and she took a deep unneeded breath.

"Yes. I am afraid Aro will kill me." the words came out very matter-of-factly and I was taken aback by her bluntness.

"He... He wouldn't kill you-"

"He may." she nodded "He may not. I am more concerned about Alec, however. He will not take this well. He may never speak to me again." She chewed on her lip momentarily, deep in the thought of this but shook her head. "I have made up my mind."

I smiled and Jane returned a semi-somber one, her eyes distant.

"Jane," I said quietly, reaching out to push a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Yes?"

"Can I kiss you again?" I asked sheepishly and Jane smirked slightly.

"I don't know," she responded, "can you?"

Right as I leaned in, I stumbled forward, Jane having already sprinted away at lightening speed and I rolled my eyes quickly running after her as we made our way back to the castle.

Two days.

I could do two more days.

* * *

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